Freedom Isn't Free
by BarrelRacer13
Summary: "We're sorry to wake you up at an hour like this, but the camp your brother, Travis Stoll, was at was bombed last night.He's being sent to the hospital in Fort Carson, Colorado." Travis was possibly dying.I didn't have anyone I could turn to. I was alone.


**I know I shouldn't be starting a new story, but I'm bored and wanted to make this one. **

**Also, NEW POLL. Please vote**

**Conner's POV**

it was five in the morning when I first got the call. I probably shouldn't have been up partying until 3 in the morning…I groaned, and rolled over, hoping the stupid phone would just stop. I had a headache. But it continued to ring. The voicemail would turn on, but whoever was trying to call me would hang up, and call again. After the sixth time it rang, I got annoyed and thought about unplugging it. But then I'd have to get behind the bed, and find the plug, and redo that in the morning to plug it in again. So I answered it.

"Who the heck calls someone at five in the morning!" I snapped into the phone. Travis's dog, Bud, looked up. Since Travis left for his 6th time to the Middle East for the war, the dog won't leave my side.

"We're sorry to wake you up at an hour like this, but the camp your brother, Travis Stoll, was at was bombed last night. He's being sent to the hospital in Fort Carson, Colorado." The guy on the other end of the line said. I froze. My brother was coming home, but not that way I wanted him to. Not only was Colorado far from where we lives (yes, we live together, no we are not in romantic love, we just don't want to live alone in a monster-infested world), but he was going to a hospital. Meaning he was hurt.

"Hello?" the voice on the other side said after a while.

"Why wasn't I called as soon as this happened?" I asked, getting out bed and walking to the living room. Bud followed.

"We were unsure of his condition. We had to see if he would survive the night before calling and saying he's going to a hospital. He's still in critical condition."

"Was this on the news or anything…"

"It's expected to be on the news today."

"We should he get to Colorado?"

"Tomorrow night. Maybe a little earlier. We're unsure of the exact time."

and then I hung up. I couldn't say anything else. Bud jumped onto the couch, and put his head on my lap. I rubbed his head, but I hardly noticed. My brother could be dying right now. I could get to the hospital, just find him dead. I needed to talk to someone who would understand. Maybe someone who would know what to say.

So I went outside, turned the hose on and put it on mist, then threw in a drachma and hoped I wouldn't have to say anything. And I didn't. The image was foggy at first, but soon cleared to show Nico, passed out on a recliner chair, wrapped up in a blanket. I never knew he snored….

"Nico." I said quietly at first. He lost his sister when he was young, and his mother when he was even younger. Maybe he would understand…

All he did was mumble a little, and shift his position.

"Nico." I said a little louder. More mumbling.

"Nico!" I yelled. Good thing I can't see my neighbors. Living out in the country part of Wyoming can come in handy. Except when you have overly curious horses. One of the mares came trotting up to the fence, and muzzled my hair. I pushed her away.

"Whaa..." Nico looked up groggily, eyes half closed.

"Wake up." I said.

"Mnnnnn….Conner? It's five in the morning. Leave me alone." He groaned.

"I need advice….or something like that."

"So ask Percy." He mumbled again. Wow, this guy mumbled a lot. And he's only 18.

"Percy doesn't have experience."

"He's been on quests. He has a wife. He has experience."

"Not with losing a family member."

"Isn't a step-dad a family member?"

"A family member he actually cares about! He doesn't know what that's like! You do! You lost your whole family!" I slapped a hand over my mouth. Nico was still sensitive about that, and his way of showing that is through anger. And he glared at me.

"Look, you know Travis joined then army about eleven years ago, and he was on his sixth tour this year. His camp was bombed the other day, and they don't know if he's going to live or not. I don't know what to do!" by the end, my voice had cracked.

"You don't do anything. You can't stop death."

"But do you know if he'll live?" I sniffled.

"No, because I don't think he's close enough, and I don't feel good, and I'm not going to try to see if he's alive."

"You don't feel good?" change the subject, change the subject, change the subject…

"No, I don't. My stomach feels like it's ready to explode, and I want to go to bed."

"You're in a chair."

"I know."

"That's not a bed…."

"I'm not home. I'm at Amanda's house, and she doesn't have a spare bed."

"So why don't you just sleep on the bed with her?"

"Because she complains about my snoring, and she's been crabby for three days."

"Oh. So, how's it going with you two? How'd you meet again?"

"Ugh. I told you twenty times. She was dancing in a grave yard in the rain –not on graves, but around them- and she tripped over me because I fell asleep at my sister's grave."

"Sound's like an interesting way to meet. Did you get along right away?" I think he knew I was stalling, and trying to get my mind away from Travis. I don't really care about how he's doing with his creepy girlfriend. Dancing in a grave yard? Creepy.

"No. I was mad, but then she asked about Bianca, and we started talking, and then her boyfriend at the time tried to kill me, and she broke up with him."

"Oh. Sooo…how's you dog?"

"I don't have a dog."

"Oh. Cat?"

"I'm allergic to cats."

"Right…you have a lizard right?"

"No."

"Mouse?"

"No."

"Rat?"

"Conner, can you just leave me alone?"

"No. so, what's new? Anything interesting go on? Been to any parties? Food shopping? I hear that can be interesting. What about traveling? Where was the latest place you traveled? Does Amanda know you're a son of Hades? Does her family know? Do they know-"

"Conner….Conner….Conner! Shut up!"

"SHUT UP NICO! I'M TRYING TO SLEEP!" a girl's voice yelled from his side.

"Great. Now you woke up Amanda."

"Well, you were yelling. But anyway…" I started asking useless questions.

"Conner, I have to pee, and really don't feel good. Go bother someone else. Like Percy and Annabeth. Make sure they aren't having any kids." He interrupted.

"Oh. What does your bathroom look like?" I smiled sheepishly while he glared daggers at me. I swiped my hand through the rainbow, and fell to my knees. Travis was possibly dying. I didn't have anyone I could really turn to for advice or help. I was alone.

**Should I continue this? **

**And please vote on my poll!**


End file.
